Muse chose this album art, taken from the Human Connectome Project, represents the map of the human brain's pathways, "tracking the circuits in our heads and how we process information with bright, neon colors."

_________________________________________________Monday, Sep 23, 2013Quote: Quote: "In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." - Robert Frost

LearningTargets:1. The different methods for peering into the human brain2. What the areas does the brain control3. The structure of the neuron4. The action potential5. The role of neurotransmitters in neural transmission

EssentialQuestions:1. What are the major lobes of the brain and what areas of human behavior do they impact?2. What are the parts of the neuron?3. How do neuron's fire and communicate with other neurons to send messages?

Agenda:
1. DO NOW: Pick up Target Sheets from the front table. Be sure to begin working on reading through these and answering the questions at the end.
2. Present the Brain Project: Students will use their brain sketch and work with other students in the class to find similar brain sketches to their own. Students will present those similarities to the class. The object is to introduce everyone to the class and to learn about what commonalities we share.
3. Brain Imaging: We'll take a look at Mr. Duez's brain on MRI. Also discuss the different methods that can be used to peer inside the human brain.
4. Video Study: The Teenage Brain: Adriana Galvan at TEDxYouth (If time)

The development of the brain - pruning creates strong neural pathways.

__________________________________________________Tuesday, Sep 24, 2013Quote: "The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no recipe for living that suits all cases." - Carl Jung

LearningTargets:1. Describe the parts of the neruon and explain how they function.2. List the 3 properties of light and the aspects of visual perception that they influence.3. Identify the location of the lens, pupil, cornea, and retina. Discuss their functions.4. Distinguish between nearsightedness and farsightedness.5. Identify the retina & optic disk.6. Discuss the contribution of rods & cones to visual processing. 7. Explain the processes underlying dark adaptation.

EssentialQuestions:1. How does the brain actually 'see' - route the signals from the eye to the brain?2. What are the two pathways involved in visual processing and the information they handle?3. How does the research that Hubel & Wiesel's worked on explain information processing in the visual cortex?4. What does the concept of feature analysis and subjective contours tell us about vision?

Agenda:
1. DO NOW: Draw the sketch of the neruon on the board and label the parts in your notes.

2. PsychTrek - Sensation & Perception - Students will work through the learning modules to be introduced to Sensation & Perception. Interactive quizzing.

LearningTargets:1. Perception is the interpretation of sensory information; it relies on experience.2. The difference between sensation and perception3. The structure and function of the eye4. The structure and function of the ear

EssentialQuestions:1. Analyze the process that humans use to convert light into images?2. How does the ear responds to sound waves?3. How do we taste or smell?4. Explain the somatic sensory system function?Agenda:
1. DO NOW:Are you influenced by advertisements - tv, radio, print, billboard, & internet? Have you ever made a purchase based on the power of an advertisement?
2. Notes & Discussion: Does Subliminal Stimulation (Advertisement) work? In what ways will it and won't it be convincing to a person?
3. Video & Discussion: Derren Brown - "Psychological Illusionist" - Derren Brown will use some amazing tricks to control human behavior. 3 video clips:

Are people so easily deceived? Is it possible that we are being manipulated much more than we are aware, by advertisers and marketers? How will this knowledge of your susceptibility impact you in the future?

3. Weber's Law Group/Cooperative Experiments: The idea that, to perceive a difference between 2 stimuli, they must differ by a constant percentage; not a constant amount.

Students will participate in a number of group experiments to test if Weber's Law.

__________________________________________________Friday, Sep 27, 2013Quote: "All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on." - Henry Ellis

LearningTargets:1. Perception is the interpretation of sensory information; it relies on experience.2. The difference between sensation and perception3. The structure and function of the eye4. The structure and function of the ear

EssentialQuestions:1. Analyze the process that humans use to convert light into images?2. How does the ear responds to sound waves?3. How do we taste or smell?4. Explain the somatic sensory system function?